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Assessing damage caused by natural disasters in the Pacific – a prerequisite for recovery and rehabilitation
efforts – is a major challenge. To support Pacific island countries assess the economic impact of disasters,
SOPAC selected four staff members and one from SPREP to attend a Training of Trainers on Damage and Loss
Assessments, Post Disaster Needs Assessment and Human Recovery Needs Assessment (PDNA) held by World
Bank GFDRR, United Nations Development Group with assistance from the EU-Joint Research Centre based in
Brussels in Vienna, Austria.
This five day Training of Trainers was intended to build the capacity of GFDRR partner organizations and
regional institutions in conducting PDNA and in providing training in post disaster assessment for their member
countries. During the training, participants were introduced to the methodology for assessing damages and
losses. The participants were then informed as to how these assessments can then be used to determine the
needs for recovery and reconstruction, and ensuring the improved resilience of communities and countries
following recovery. The training also familiarized participants with the role and relevance of partnerships
between UN, EU, WB and donor agencies in supporting disaster prone countries to reduce the risk of future
disasters.
This activity will be used to inform the design of a post disaster damage, loss and needs assessment framework
for the Pacific Region. It is intended that once the course has been designed and funding attained that a group
of experts across the Pacific will be trained who can then conduct post disaster assessments in the region and
train their country counterparts.
Five representatives from the Pacific
attend Training for Trainers on Damage
Loss and Need assessments in Vienna